AGENDA:
VOCABULARY QUIZ on vocabulary.com
Work on 15 and 20 sentence poems
VIEW: Le Herisson
HMWK: Continue reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog.
Finish Hedgehog for Monday
Part 1, Camellias: Chapters 11-18,
Journal of the Movement of the World
No. 3 and Profound Thoughts Nos. 6-8
Part 1, Camellias: Chapters 11-18, Journal of the
Movement of the World No. 3 and Profound Thoughts
Nos. 6-8 Summary
In Chapter 11, Manuela comes early for tea because of Maître Arthens' condition.
Manuela tells Renee how she saw Arthens daughter on the stairs. This causes Renee
to remember Arthens son, a spoiled young man who had a problem with drugs. Renee
remembers how he asked her once the name of the flowers she had planted outside the
building. Renee recalls how he asked about the flowers and she told him they were
called camellias.
In Profound Thought No. 6, Paloma thinks Maître Arthens is a bad man and finds it
interesting that news of his death has caused such excitement throughout the building.
Paloma also begins to drink tea in the morning, finding it more sophisticated than her
father's morning coffee.
In Chapter 12, the impending death of Arthens causes Renee to reflect on the meaning
of life. Renee feels that art gives meaning to life.
In Chapter 13, Renee has recently been introduced to the films of a Japanese filmmaker
called Ozu. Renee is particularly fond of a movie called The Munekata Sisters. Renee
feels that many of scenes are filled with breathtaking metaphor.
In Journal of the Movement of the World No. 3., Paloma is fascinated with television and
recently saw a diving contest in which she felt profoundly moved by the failure of two
divers to dive at exactly the same time and speed.
In Chapter 14, Chabrot comes to Renee's loge to let her know that Arthens has died and
the mortuary will be coming for him soon. As Chabrot leaves, Renee can hear someone
playing a Japanese tune on a piano. Renee feels this is very suited to the occasion.
Chapter 15. The Rich Man's Burden. As Renee comtemplates her decision to live in
solitude, another tenant rings her bell. Renee takes a note from her visitor that has
come from another tenant, asking that she pick up some items from the dry cleaner's.
Renee is astounded by the bad grammar of the note.
In Profound Though No. 7, Paloma is punished when her sister boyfriend, Tibere, and
his parents come for dinner because she corrects the father on his description of the
Japanese game Go.
In Chapter 16, Olympe Saint-Nice is a tenant in the building. Olympe wants to be a
veterinarian someday, so whenever an animal in the building is sick they take it to
Olympe. Olympe and Renee are friends. Olympe comes to Renee and tells her how
Constitution, the Josse's cat, came down with a bladder infection. What Olympe finds
truly amusing is that the vet diagnosed Olympe with an anxiety disorder and put her on
Prozac.
In Chapter 17, Renee learns that Arthens' widow is going to sell their apartment. This
will be the first sale of an apartment in the building in Renee's tenure because most of
the apartments have passed down from family member to family member. Later, on her
way to the market, Renee runs into Gegene, a local homeless man who often hangs
around the building. Renee tells him about Arthens' death and is surprised by Gegene's
profound grief.
In Chapter 18, Renee finds herself thinking of Ryabinin, one of her favorite characters
from Anna Karenina, as she struggles with her emotions regarding life and death.
In Profound Thought No. 8, Paloma reflects on a visit to her father's mother at the new
rest home where she has been relocated. Paloma finds it unfair that her grandmother,
who is an unpleasant person, will live out her life in a very expensive home while some
kind person who happens to be poor will be forced to live out his life in less luxurious
accommodations. Paloma also finds it difficult to understand her father's guilt for placing
his mother in a home, especially such a nice one.
Part 1, Camellias: Chapters 11-18, Journal of the
Movement of the World No. 3 and Profound Thoughts
Nos. 6-8 Analysis
One of the tenants of the building where Renee lives is dying. Renee is surprised by this
man's unexpected illness and death, causing her to think about mortality and the
meaning of life. Although Renee does not truly like any of her tenants, she admires
Arthens because his clear affection for words. Renee also pities Arthens to a small
degree because his only son is a drug addict. Renee recalls the young Arthens asking
her about the flowers she has planted outside her loge, a fact that will prove to be
important later in the novel.
Paloma also finds herself thinking about mortality and the meaning of life. However,
where Renee comes to the conclusion that art makes life worth living, Paloma finds
multiple reasons why life is meaningless. Paloma points out numerous inequalities
about life and uses them as reasons why she should continue with her plan to commit
suicide.
Another character is introduced in these chapters. Olympe Saint-Nice is one of the few
tenants who are nice to Renee and they have built a friendship based on their common
love of animals. Olympe is truly a good soul and her relationship with Renee will have
importance later in the novel.
Part 2, On Grammar: Chapters 1-6 and
Profound Thought Nos. 9-11
Part 2, On Grammar: Chapters 1-6 and Profound
Thought Nos. 9-11 Summary
In Chapter 1, one of the tenants of the building, Jacinthe Rosen, introduces Renee to
the new tenant of the building. Renee does not hear the man's last name, but is
fascinated that the man is Japanese because of her resent interest in Ozu movies. Just
as Madame Rosen and the new tenant are leaving, Renee makes a comment about
happy families that is a quote from Anna Karenina. The new tenant recognizes it and
finishes the quote.
In Chapter 2, as Renee fears that she has given herself away to the new tenant,
someone knocks on the door. The visitor is Paul Nguyen, the new tenant's assistant.
Paul tells Renee that the new tenants name is Kakuro Ozu. Renee is shocked that the
man shares the names of her favorite author on traditional Japanese teas and her
favorite filmmaker.
In Profound Thought No. 9, Paloma finds it interesting that a tenant who has never
befriended her mother before because of a differences in politics, suddenly wants to
have tea with her mother because the Josses live above the Arthens' former apartment
where a great deal of construction is going on for the new tenant.
In Chapter 3, Manuela tells Renee that Monsieur Ozu has fired the Grelier, but has
decided to keep Manuela at an increased rate. Manuela is happy because this means
she can stop working for Madame Pallieres. Manuela then describes the construction
going on in Ozu's apartment. When Renee learns the names of Monsieur Ozu's cats,
Levin and Kitty, she suddenly realizes that Monsieur Ozu has a similar affection for
Anna Karenina.
In Chapter 4, Renee thinks of how sliding doors in a house offer more continuity than
the conventional doors in most French homes. Renee admires Monsieur Ozu for putting
sliding doors in his apartment.
In Profound Thought No. 10, Paloma relates how she contradicted a teacher in class
who told a student that learning grammar was important because it helped a person get
along in society. Paloma tells the teacher that grammar is important because it helps a
person learn and understand the beauty of language. The teacher did not appreciate
Paloma's view.
In Chapter 5, Manuela continues her discussion of Monsieur Ozu's apartment by
mentioning that he has nothing superfluous in his apartment. Renee finds this refreshing
while other tenants of the building find it odd.
In Chapter 6, a courier delivers a package to Renee. Inside is an expensive book.
In Profound Thought No. 11, Paloma relates a tea date with Kakuro Ozu, whom she
previously met in an elevator at the building. Paloma and Ozu talk about Renee and
both agree that there is more to her than she allows people to see. They agree to work
together to learn the truth about Renee.
Part 2, On Grammar: Chapters 1-6 and Profound
Thought Nos. 9-11 Analysis
A new tenant moves into the building for the first time in more than two decades. This
causes a great deal of excitement in all the tenants of the building as well as the
employees. Paloma finds it ridiculous until she learns the new tenant is Japanese.
Paloma is fascinated with Japanese culture and is happy to befriend the new tenant. At
the same time, Renee finds the tenant fascinating, but is concerned that she has
revealed too much of herself at their first meeting. Renee is caught between her desire
to seek out a fellow fan of Anna Karenina and keeping intact her persona of an
unintelligent concierge.
As Paloma's relationship with the new tenant grows, she finds in him a kindred spirit.
Paloma also discovers that, like her, Monsieur Ozu has doubts about the concierge's
apparent lack of intelligence. Paloma once saw Renee with a philosophy book similar to
one her sister uses to study for her master's degree in philosophy. For this reason,
Paloma agrees to help Monsieur Ozu seek out the truth, giving her a purpose and
foreshadowing a meeting between the two main characters of the novel.
